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Salmon Watch
1E. SALMON LIFE CYCLE
TIME (min.) LEVEL BENCHMARKS 60-90 All 6.2L.2 8.2P.2 H.2E.4
MATERIALS: Use The Journey of Pacific Wild Salmon handout found in the beginning of the Salmon Chapter to review the life cycle
of salmon with your students. If you need a simpler life cycle activity, Stream Scene has a short summary.
OBJECTIVES:Students will:
• become familiar with the life cycle of the salmon.
• know and understand the key terms relating to the life cycle of the salmon.
VOCABULARY: anadromous fry
eggs smolt
Salmonids smoltification
alevins parr marks
yolk sac spawn
vitelline vein redd
porous gravel milt
percolation
If your students only have time to briefly review the life cycle of the salmon before their field trip, engage them in a
discussion with the following questions.
• What conditions are necessary for successful salmon reproduction?
• What conditions are necessary for successful rearing of young salmon?
• What do salmon fry feed upon?
• What is smoltification and do salmon go through this process?
• What is the importance of stream flow to salmon migration?
• How long do salmon spend in the ocean and what do they feed upon?
• What natural and human factors impact salmon survival rates?
• How do salmon navigate back to their native streams?
• What do salmon feed upon when they enter fresh water?
• What is the process for salmon reproduction?
Unit 1. Preparing for Salmon Watch
Unit 2. Field Trip Planning and Implementation 2.2
Salmon Biology Below is a description of potential methods for observing salmon and activities to do so. Please refer to the
Salmon section of this binder for more complete and in depth salmon biology, habitat and life cycle
information.
Weather: _____ Storm _____ Overcast _____ Rain
_____ Clear _____ Showers Snow
Any fish present?
_____ yes _____ no number of fish sighted
______ number of live fish ______ number of carcasses (dead fish)
Length of observation:
Identify, describe and sketch the fish. Identify the species (if possible) or family of the fish observed. List
the numbers of each species. Describe as best you can, what the fish looks like. Make some sketches. If there
are carcasses, identify, describe and sketch these as well.
Salmon Observation:
Sex ratio. If identifiable, list the ratio of females to males. If this is not possible, estimate the percentages of
females and males.
Behavior. Indicate significant behavior, such as digging, redd guarding, general spawning behavior, fighting,
or attempted passage of a barrier.
Location. As if you were looking down from above, sketch the stream section you are observing and plot where
you have observed certain fish activity and redds.
Habitat. Describe and sketch the stream section you are observing. To you knowledge, is this good salmon
habitat? Why or why not? If you have not seen a salmon at this site, why do you think this is?
Date:
Time:
Name/School:
Stream name: